But according to this report from Jim Heaney, which reveals that Paladino earns $10.1 million per year from at least 37 state leases and contracts, and has received at least $12 million in tax breaks since 2003, and this associated blog post, he’s no populist, and his skin is thinner than that of any other contemporary politician, ever.

The report is, to me, most significant in showing that the influence Mr. Paladino had with the Masiello Administration to shape Empire Zone boundaries downtown to his great benefit. Influence like that comes at a price.

“Mad as hell” populist, my ass.

Also, as for “thick skin”, just check out this email string that Heaney posted (.doc). Can you imagine Cuomo, Levy, or Lazio completely shutting out a major newspaper’s reporter because they were butthurt about his factual reporting? I can’t. Usually, campaigns roll with the good stories and bad, and maintain contacts with big media because they recognize that the press and the candidate need each other. I suspect that Mr. Caputo doesn’t have control of his client.

9 Responses to “Thick Skin”

If the liberals had not crippled the Free Markets with thier tax and spend government programs the private sector Paladino’s would not have to beg for contracts. My contractor father would never have choosen to work for the government if he could get around without doing so. If WNYMedia could get along with Tax Party supporters, these anti-liberty blogs would run the other way. This is a fundemental process wherein the “support me” DEMON-RATS accuse the successful free market of stealing the rat chow.

ok jim take your free market crap and shove it up your ass. laissez faire capitalism got us into this mess in the first place.

second: carl paladino doesn’t pay a dime in taxes. a lot of his wealth comes from government contracts and buffalo city hall giveaways. your reasoning is as tortured as an animal in one of the pornos that carl paladino watches.

I think Paladino does reflect a lot of Palin and other temporary celebrities who yearn for power. They all share the same characteristic anger at the status quo and lack of any substantive programs for replacing that status without huge disruptions.
I see in these blogs the same lack of historical frame work for understanding government. Much to the disappointment of conservatives government and its programs are not self invented. Problems that appear then grow and gnaw at the conscience of society create either a non- or a government response. For most citizens the government response is easier.
My favorite example of this is child labor. Early in the industrial age it was not even counted as any factor. But muckraking and investigative journalists poked the public in the eye and the indifference of the industrialists forced government response that is active even to our era.
Simultaneous tot he growth of government in the workplace non-government attempts were made to deal with the problem. But lacking any real power these remained ineffective acts of charity.
Government is generally the sole solution when the bad guys are making money off the lack of regulation. Look at Wall Street for another example.